Karmapa not given any clean chit

Feb 12, 2011

Category: Police Raid Jan 2011

DHARAMSALA: The chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal categorically stated here on Saturday that the 17th Karmapa, Ogyene Tirnley Dorjee has not been given any sort of clean chit on the matter pertaining to the seizure of huge amount of foreign currency to the tune of around 9 crores including Chinese Yuan from Gyuto monastery at Sidhbarri about 8 kilometres from here.

Speaking to TOI here (Dharamasala) before heading for Chamba , he said that question of giving clean chit to Karmapa at this stage does not arise at all adding that investigations were at critical stage to get into the bottom of the truth from where the illegal foreign currency made its way which was recovered at the Karmapa monastery during raids conducted by the police last month from January 26 to January 28..

The chief minister Prem Kumare Dhumal's remarks come a day after Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu gave the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, a clean chit which seemed to be surprising and inexplicable owing to the investigations into the matter at critical stage.

Dhumal said that state police and central investigating agencies are in the midst of investigations and are yet to arrive at any conclusion at all. On the possibility of Karmapa being arrested, he said that it is difficult to say anything at this stage since the investigations into the matte are at very important stage.

Himachal Pradesh director-general of police, DS Minhas, said that investigations into the Karmapa foreign currency haul case were at very delicate stage. He said that state police was investigating the matter with great deal of care and attention. On being asked that whether the 17th Karmapa would be arrested, he said that it was premature to say anything at this stage. He said that it would depend on how the probe progresses. He said that state police during investigations has come across sufficient evidence about the illegal money laundering by Karmapa monastery and its possible Chinese links. However, he said that it needs time to arrive at the conclusive report owing to various intricacies involved in the matter.

Meanwhile, the three trustees of Karmapa trust), Karma Changeyalapa, Dilyat Rinpoche and Gompa Namgyalh who had been summoned by the police for interrogation did not appear for interrogation by Una police. Una SP Santosh Patial tol TOI that in case the three of the trustees of Karmapa trust do not appear for questioning before the Una police again, appropriate action would be intiated against them to move further into the matter.